Show Your Work 2007

Dennis Murphy · August 25th, 2007, 08:35 PM

It's like a gonzo history channel.
Refreshingly trippy.

Darren Smith · August 26th, 2007, 01:17 AM

I have been an keen observer for some months now and have recently aquired my A1, very new to the whole video thing and editing, was using pinnacle with the handycam, just for family stuff, now have Adobe production suite. Hoping for some feedback on the clip. It's difficult to get good quality on YouTube but hopefully can get the idea. Cheers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNgvAz4Ib-Y

Pete Bauer · August 26th, 2007, 06:44 AM

Darren, congratulations on your new camera.

Moved this thread to the "Show Your Work" forum as we try to reserve the camera forums for technical or how-to discussions that relate specifically to the camera.

Alan James · August 26th, 2007, 10:49 PM

Hey guys. Pull these shots apart and tell me if you see anything that looks bad in them.

These are all tests for my first green screen movie. I'm the writer, Director, cinematographer, editor, visual effects supervisor and sound mixer so I am very close to it. Because of that I cant see mistakes to well. This is my first time doing this and I think its come out pretty well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZikyuOFWqeY

Aron Yert · August 27th, 2007, 02:43 PM

I recently started a part time gig with CBS MaxPreps. Each week I go to a Friday night football game and collect highlights of the game and capture the atmosphere of a hs football game with the marching band, cheerleaders, and fans. By Saturday night I have to turn in a 2 1/2 minute video highlight reel for viewing on the website.

Games don't start until this week, so for practice I shot a scrimmage on Friday. The video is available here (should start automatically on the right side).

http://www.maxpreps.com/FanPages/StateMain.mxp/Texas

This is my first video like this. Unfortunately we have to do a short, on camera intro/close (I prefer being BEHIND the camera). For that I'll work on the lighting next week (maybe an attachable camera light?), as well as the audio (definitely need a wind guard on the mic).

I'm also waiting for a new camera (Canon XL2) to arrive - last week all I had to shoot with was a Sony miniDV handycam. The battery died at the end (also getting a much needed second battery) so the last 30 seconds of the online video are highlights actually shot with a Hi-8 Sony camcorder.

I'd like to add cool graphics, but I don't really have the skillset to make it look like sportscenter. I was thinking of having an image of the two opposing teams' helmets with their names as an intro.

This week with an actual game to cover I'll also be able to get shots of the scoreboard, sounds of the marching band, and stadiums packed with fans.

So, any critiques/suggestions for improvement or shot selections? They really want me to be on the sideline, so the classic "pressbox" camera shot is out.

Thanks in advance!

Walter McElroy, Jr. · August 27th, 2007, 06:55 PM

This was an assignment for a film class I took for the spring semester. We had to write, shoot and edit a short film using super 8mm film. Learned a lot about the importance of pre-production. Check it out and let me know what you think!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MVKzOBfens

Thx

Walter

Justin Tomchuk · August 27th, 2007, 07:07 PM

That was cool to watch. I like the look of the 8 mm film. Nice sound effects. Weak conclusion though.

Justin Tomchuk · August 27th, 2007, 07:16 PM

Nice job with the greenscreen. I'm doing the same sort of deal right now with a bright green fabric. The first shot looks really cool. The second shot there is some mistakes.

Take a look at the attachment, the white arrow point to where the greenscreen is still visible and semi-transparent. It looks like you used a 4 point garbage matte or cropped the original video but the edge is still visible.

And my first thought was that he was standing in a bowling alley. The wood texture looks sort of strange.

Other than that it looks good.

Andy Graham · August 27th, 2007, 07:26 PM

The only thing is...greenscreen is usually used to achieve shots that are too expensive, dangerous or impossible to do practically (with the exeception of sin city)so when it comes to having a guy sitting in an office why not just film a guy in an office?. Static shots are always going to be easier to pull off using greenscreen than moving action shots so for a film to be shot using purely greenscreen you really need to test some action sequences.......your gonna need a lot of space and greenscreen material.

Sorry for being pessimistic its just my initial thoughts.

Andy.

Mark Bournes · August 28th, 2007, 07:27 AM

Aron, When shooting football highlights from on the field, get down field more so you get them coming towards you, instead of running away from you. You'll get better highlights that way. Also if you can get a little tighter when following the play. That's gonna take some practice. You're on the right track.

Aron Yert · August 28th, 2007, 08:25 AM

Thanks for your tips, Mark. I tried shooting tighter at first, but as you said it's going to take some practice getting that down. I kept losing track of the ball - at night, looking through the viewfinder it's hard to pick out where it is, but I got better as I went along.

I did order a telephoto lens for this week's game, so that should help getting tight shots that are in focus. I hate using the digital zoom, but I had to go with it this time - I figured with the transfer to their website it would look a little pixelated anyways.

One good thing was that I was able to get shots from many different angles on the field, so at least now I have a better feel for what angles look good and what doesn't.

A regular game should be easier to shoot. During the scrimmage they would suddenly switch sides from offense to defense and I wouldn't have time to get all the way on the other side of the field before the next play.

Ross Hunter · August 28th, 2007, 08:52 AM

Aron,

Are you able to get more elevation? I see these high school game highlights all the time on small stations here in Central Virginia and I think they all suffer from the on-field camera location.

However, if you are in the press box, it does make it difficult to get shots of them coming at you as Mark suggests.

Ross Hunter
Orange, VA

Aron Yert · August 28th, 2007, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross Hunter

Aron,

Are you able to get more elevation? I see these high school game highlights all the time on small stations here in Central Virginia and I think they all suffer from the on-field camera location.

However, if you are in the press box, it does make it difficult to get shots of them coming at you as Mark suggests.

Ross Hunter
Orange, VA

Well, that's what the company wants - tighter shot, sideline-view action as opposed to the classic, elevated shot.

I flirted with the idea of bringing someone else to man a second camera from the stands so I could cut between the two, but with the quick turnaround that only increases the editing time for me. Going from one hour of game tape to 2 minutes is quite enough without adding another hour to it, especially since I then need to add graphics, music, and save it as a .mov file.

Brian Posslenzny · August 28th, 2007, 01:00 PM

Check out our 3 minute scene: "Sleepless." Any feedback is very welcome.

Zach Stewart · August 28th, 2007, 03:37 PM

Very nice work! smooth camera/editing and top notch lighting. Actress did a nice job and very realistic, but the male role didn't seem to meet up to her ability. His one line "i love you" didn't catch me like it could have. both of them on the bed scene was a little one the cheesy side, but i really liked the change back to reality when she realizes he isn't there.

All in all...VERY NICE. what camera are you shooting with, and how did you get the crash scene staged? i can tell this is not a "low budget" film but how much of a crew are you working with?

August 26th, 2007, 01:17 AM	#827
Darren Smith Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bli Bli Qld Australia Posts: 93	First Outing with the A1 I have been an keen observer for some months now and have recently aquired my A1, very new to the whole video thing and editing, was using pinnacle with the handycam, just for family stuff, now have Adobe production suite. Hoping for some feedback on the clip. It's difficult to get good quality on YouTube but hopefully can get the idea. Cheers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNgvAz4Ib-Y

August 26th, 2007, 06:44 AM	#828
Pete Bauer Wrangler Join Date: May 2003 Location: Eagle River, AK Posts: 4,100	Darren, congratulations on your new camera. Moved this thread to the "Show Your Work" forum as we try to reserve the camera forums for technical or how-to discussions that relate specifically to the camera. __________________ Pete Bauer The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. Albert Einstein Trying to solve a DV mystery? You may find the answer behind the SEARCH function ... or be able to join a discussion already in progress!

August 26th, 2007, 10:49 PM	#829
Alan James Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 261	Visual Effect Tests, Make fun of them Hey guys. Pull these shots apart and tell me if you see anything that looks bad in them. These are all tests for my first green screen movie. I'm the writer, Director, cinematographer, editor, visual effects supervisor and sound mixer so I am very close to it. Because of that I cant see mistakes to well. This is my first time doing this and I think its come out pretty well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZikyuOFWqeY

August 27th, 2007, 02:43 PM	#830
Aron Yert Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 39	Critique - 2 minute high school football video I recently started a part time gig with CBS MaxPreps. Each week I go to a Friday night football game and collect highlights of the game and capture the atmosphere of a hs football game with the marching band, cheerleaders, and fans. By Saturday night I have to turn in a 2 1/2 minute video highlight reel for viewing on the website. Games don't start until this week, so for practice I shot a scrimmage on Friday. The video is available here (should start automatically on the right side). http://www.maxpreps.com/FanPages/StateMain.mxp/Texas This is my first video like this. Unfortunately we have to do a short, on camera intro/close (I prefer being BEHIND the camera). For that I'll work on the lighting next week (maybe an attachable camera light?), as well as the audio (definitely need a wind guard on the mic). I'm also waiting for a new camera (Canon XL2) to arrive - last week all I had to shoot with was a Sony miniDV handycam. The battery died at the end (also getting a much needed second battery) so the last 30 seconds of the online video are highlights actually shot with a Hi-8 Sony camcorder. I'd like to add cool graphics, but I don't really have the skillset to make it look like sportscenter. I was thinking of having an image of the two opposing teams' helmets with their names as an intro. This week with an actual game to cover I'll also be able to get shots of the scoreboard, sounds of the marching band, and stadiums packed with fans. So, any critiques/suggestions for improvement or shot selections? They really want me to be on the sideline, so the classic "pressbox" camera shot is out. Thanks in advance!

August 27th, 2007, 06:55 PM	#831
Walter McElroy, Jr. Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: St. Louis Posts: 32	The Briefcase-Short Film This was an assignment for a film class I took for the spring semester. We had to write, shoot and edit a short film using super 8mm film. Learned a lot about the importance of pre-production. Check it out and let me know what you think! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MVKzOBfens Thx Walter

August 25th, 2007, 08:35 PM	#826
Dennis Murphy Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Whangarei, New Zealand Posts: 396	It's like a gonzo history channel. Refreshingly trippy.

August 27th, 2007, 07:07 PM	#832
Justin Tomchuk Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Montreal Posts: 164	That was cool to watch. I like the look of the 8 mm film. Nice sound effects. Weak conclusion though.

August 27th, 2007, 07:16 PM	#833
Justin Tomchuk Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Montreal Posts: 164	Nice job with the greenscreen. I'm doing the same sort of deal right now with a bright green fabric. The first shot looks really cool. The second shot there is some mistakes. Take a look at the attachment, the white arrow point to where the greenscreen is still visible and semi-transparent. It looks like you used a 4 point garbage matte or cropped the original video but the edge is still visible. And my first thought was that he was standing in a bowling alley. The wood texture looks sort of strange. Other than that it looks good. Attached Thumbnails

August 27th, 2007, 07:26 PM	#834
Andy Graham Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lanark,Scotland Posts: 736	The only thing is...greenscreen is usually used to achieve shots that are too expensive, dangerous or impossible to do practically (with the exeception of sin city)so when it comes to having a guy sitting in an office why not just film a guy in an office?. Static shots are always going to be easier to pull off using greenscreen than moving action shots so for a film to be shot using purely greenscreen you really need to test some action sequences.......your gonna need a lot of space and greenscreen material. Sorry for being pessimistic its just my initial thoughts. Andy. __________________ Actor: "where would that light be coming from?" DP: "same place as the music" -Andrew Lesnie-

August 28th, 2007, 07:27 AM	#835
Mark Bournes Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Jupiter, FL Posts: 565	Aron, When shooting football highlights from on the field, get down field more so you get them coming towards you, instead of running away from you. You'll get better highlights that way. Also if you can get a little tighter when following the play. That's gonna take some practice. You're on the right track. __________________ Mark www.sharkvp.com

August 28th, 2007, 08:25 AM	#836
Aron Yert Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 39	Thanks for your tips, Mark. I tried shooting tighter at first, but as you said it's going to take some practice getting that down. I kept losing track of the ball - at night, looking through the viewfinder it's hard to pick out where it is, but I got better as I went along. I did order a telephoto lens for this week's game, so that should help getting tight shots that are in focus. I hate using the digital zoom, but I had to go with it this time - I figured with the transfer to their website it would look a little pixelated anyways. One good thing was that I was able to get shots from many different angles on the field, so at least now I have a better feel for what angles look good and what doesn't. A regular game should be easier to shoot. During the scrimmage they would suddenly switch sides from offense to defense and I wouldn't have time to get all the way on the other side of the field before the next play.

August 28th, 2007, 08:52 AM	#837
Ross Hunter Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Orange VA Posts: 38	Aron, Are you able to get more elevation? I see these high school game highlights all the time on small stations here in Central Virginia and I think they all suffer from the on-field camera location. However, if you are in the press box, it does make it difficult to get shots of them coming at you as Mark suggests. Ross Hunter Orange, VA

August 28th, 2007, 01:00 PM	#839
Brian Posslenzny Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan Posts: 28	Sleepless- new scene from CineVera Pictures Check out our 3 minute scene: "Sleepless." Any feedback is very welcome. __________________ Brian Posslenzny http://www.CineVeraPictures.com

August 28th, 2007, 03:37 PM	#840
Zach Stewart Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 176	Very nice work! smooth camera/editing and top notch lighting. Actress did a nice job and very realistic, but the male role didn't seem to meet up to her ability. His one line "i love you" didn't catch me like it could have. both of them on the bed scene was a little one the cheesy side, but i really liked the change back to reality when she realizes he isn't there. All in all...VERY NICE. what camera are you shooting with, and how did you get the crash scene staged? i can tell this is not a "low budget" film but how much of a crew are you working with?